Slow Grand National

The going was soft as the fleets tried to get out for the start on Tuesday night and the start was postponed to let the riders gather at the course.

With the split starts still in place (6 mins between the PY and Laser starts) the PY fleet set off while the wind was having an early evening time out.  Sheehy was standing in the saddle as he led the PY fleet off the line and the PY horses advanced very slowly up the first beat in the light airs and heavy chop.

Meanwhile back on the start O'Toolivic and local lad Craig turned circles on the line while steward for the day O'Hare masterfully kept the countdown going for another six minutes until the Laser fleet started in pursuit of the still stalled PY fleet.

Finally all the boats were away with 100/1 shot Dan O'Connell making the best start and the early running. Craig was working hard to stay in touch. The wind came up across the whole of the course only a few minutes after the Laser start and quickly shifted towards the right. Those who had opted for the left side of the beat suffered badly.  The non-Laser boats were totally out of it on handicap too because of the rising breeze.

Downhill it seemed the left benefited from better gusts while the right had marginally more tide. Once the wind shift was locked in the course became one sided. But who would have believed there would have even been a race? We were all sitting in a windless hole just three minutes before the off.

Podium honours on the evening go to Sheehy in the OK Dinghy for leading home in PY, Craig in the Laser for holding off a charging O'Connell and O'Hare and his team on the Freebird for holding their nerve and getting a race in at all.

Next up is the RAYC regatta on Saturday
http://prep2.com/rayc/Registration.asp?Menu=Events&EventID=460

For SI's go here
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7O4tP04m22sc2I0TzVEM0VnZ3M/edit?usp=sharing